1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to card insertion systems and, more particularly, to modular apparatus and methods for making and using such insertion systems.
2. Description of the related art including information disclosed under 37 C.F.R. 1.97-1.99
Card insertion systems which function to automatically insert one or more credit cards into matching carrier forms are well known.
A disadvantage of known insertion systems is their lack of versatility with respect to printing of the carrier forms. In some systems, the inserters are capable of working only in conjunction with preprinted carrier forms that are fed in continuous fan-folded form to a burster comprising part of the system which is operated to separate the preprinted forms into separated discrete carrier forms which, in turn, are fed seriatim to the inserter one at a time for receipt of inserted cards. These preprinted form systems are not capable of operating in conjunction with in-line carrier form printers.
In other insertion systems, the inserters are contained in a single cabinet with an in-line printer and other apparatus to form a complete card package production system. These card package production systems are not compatible for use with single sheet preprinted carrier forms and operate only with continuous forms.